Chivalry
Disclaimer: I don't own Attack On Titan
...
Long ago, there was a proud kingdom. It rested in the valley, built on top of plentiful harvests and fairly happy people. The valley kingdom, Shingashima, was a prosperous land, but one day misfortune and sour luck spread over the land like a plague. The weather turned cold and bitter, destroyed the fields and made everyone's stomachs ache. The king and queen were greatly distressed by the plights of their people.
One cold night, a shadow suddenly fell across the great castle, and screaming could be heard from the streets. King Grisha leaned out his window to see the commotion, and was greeted by a terrible sight. A titan. Beasts of legend, they towered over ordinary men, and were known for their appetite for human flesh. The monster had no skin, and stood at least fifty meters tall. The king was petrified when he took no damage from his guards' arrows or swords.
Soon, the titan stood at the window, facing the king with a calm expression, ignoring the chaos around him.
"Your majesty," it said. "It has reached my ear that you have beautiful children, and I hunger for beautiful flesh."
The king paled. His children were so dear to him – Prince Eren and Princess Mikasa. His day was always brightened by their faces, and to hear the monster speak of them with clearly evil intentions left a bad taste in his mouth.
"What do you want, titan?" he commanded, willing his voice to be steady.
"To me, by dawn, you will give me your daughter, for it has been said that her ebony hair is beyond comparison with that of any other maid. If you do not, I shall take both of your children, and this winter will last until the earth is frozen to the core. My kind will invade, and no parent's children will be safe."
The king bit his lip with frustration, Mikasa's face flashing in his memory, but he forced a nod, unwilling to burden his people with such suffering, and the titan lumbered off until dawn.
Little did he know, Prince Eren had hidden behind the drapes of the room, and listened to the entire exchange. The boy quickly dashed off for Mikasa's quarters, and found her assembling her battle gear. She looked up, and noted his state of distress.
"Brother, what is the matter? I am off to help get rid of that beast."
"There is no need," he rushed, placing a hand on her bow and setting it on the bed. "You see, Father struck a deal with the titan, and a most pleasant one too," he lied.
"A deal with a titan? That's absurd."
"Yes, but true. I listened to their conversation, and it seems that the monster has taken a liking to your hair. He has requested that you cut it all off to give to him, and then he shall leave the kingdom in peace. He also wants for a dress worn by the princess, of fair taste and color. Mikasa, if you'd please?"
She sighed and went to her dressing table, taking a pair of scissors. She carefully cut her long raven tresses, letting Eren catch them as they fluttered to the ground. By the end, her hair was short, like a boy's, but Eren assured her that she was still as lovely as ever, now the savior of the kingdom too. They chose a vibrant green gown from her closet, and the Prince folded it carefully in his arms. She smiled at him, and watched him leave.
As Eren closed the door behind him, he locked it with a key. He ran to his room, and quickly set about making himself a wig from his sister's hair. Dawn was fast approaching, and he had little time.
King Grisha was beyond despair, and could not bring himself to look upon his daughter's face. He sent a servant to fetch her, one of the newer ones, unfamiliar with her appearance. Eren had, by this point, planted himself in front of his sister's door. He wore the wig to cover the more masculine lines of his jaw, and a cloak over the green fabric of the dress to hide his lacking of curves. He saw the servant come down the corridor, and nodded when they explained that he, or rather, she, was to wait in the tallest tower of the castle.
And so he went up and waited. Fear tangled itself in knots within him, but he could never allow for his sister to be taken and sacrificed. She was far too capable, had too much potential, for her life to be thrown away. He loved her dearly, and would not be able to bear it if she were devoured when he could have prevented it.
Still, he dreaded the arrival of the sun. To be grasped like a doll in the fist of a titan, swallowed hole, maybe torn limb from limb. And should his disguise fail? Would the titan return to seek his revenge upon the land? Would he be the shovel to bury all of his subjects?
He could only hope not.
The sun was peeking over the horizon now, tinting the sky with creamy oranges and pinks. He stepped onto the balcony, wrapping the flaps of the cloak around him as he steeled himself. Suddenly there was a commotion from the courtyard. Below, he could see several forms running across to the tower. He recognized Mikasa, her now short hair rustling slightly as she ran, shrieking.
"EREN! NO!"
He closed his eyes and turned away, and as he did so, caught sight of a hulking form in the distance. With its long legs, it was closing in fast, and would soon be at the castle. There was shouting from the steps below, but he had bolted the door shut.
The titan, his muscled form catching the rising sunlight, crouched slightly to have his eyes level with the balcony.
"You are the Princess Mikasa?" he asked.
"Y-yes," he stammered, trying to hide any baritone of his voice.
"Your hair is as breath-taking as they say." The pounding on the door continued, but the titan paid it no heed. Instead, he reached for Eren, and a startled gasp escaped the prince as he was lifted from the balcony. "I will feast tomorrow night, when the moon is full. Until then, you shall be in my company, princess."
Shakily, he nodded. The titan turned and began the long walk towards the mountains, though it would only take an hour or so with the impressive gait of the beast. Turning his head, he saw Mikasa as she finally broke down the door, flying to grip the railing as she called after him. But they were already far away, almost to the edge of the kingdom. He did not hear his sister's cries.
He felt tears slide down his cheeks, and he used his free hand to muffle a sob. He would never see his beloved kingdom, his people, or family again.
But, that is not the end of this tale. You see, there was another kingdom, Trost, and it lay near the coast, upriver from Shingashima. King Erwin ruled there. His wife had long since passed in childbirth, and so he had taken in an orphaned thief – a boy who had been roughly eleven at the time, and raised him as the heir to his throne.
Prince Levi was a talented young man. His combat skills were remarkable, and his workings of strategy impressive to any experienced general. He was known to be detached and expressionless, crass and blunt in his humor. His reputation was not true to his nature though, and many saw him as charming and suave, though anyone who'd ever met the young man would be quick to correct. He was never short of suitors, but he never took interest in them.
Practicing his swordsmanship with his companion, Hanji, he was surprised to hear the thundering of hooves on the cobblestone pavement of the courtyard. He paused in his movements to take in the sight of a female warrior, bronze armor strapped onto her as she sat proudly on her horse. Her hair was cut short, and her eyes were cold and determined.
Approaching the young woman, he asked who she was.
"I am Princess Mikasa, of Shingashima. I have come here to request help. Please."
"And what plight, exactly, befalls you, Princess?"
Her expression became pained, and she drew a shaky breath. "My brother, Prince Eren, has been stolen by a titan. The monster came to us last night, demanding that I be sacrificed to him for the safety of our people. I was not informed of this until it was too late. The prince told me that he wanted my hair and a dress, and when I gave them to him, he dressed himself as me, and took my place. The titan carried him this morning off towards the mountains, and said he would devour him tonight, under the full moon. Please, help me slay this beast and save my brother. Your talents are well known. My father shall surely reward you, Prince Levi."
Levi considered her words carefully. A titan had not been seen for the past century, and they were known to be dangerous, barbaric creatures. There would be no time to assemble an army, and he trusted himself to guide the forest faster on his own. Given that it was only an hour before noon, this girl was swift as well. They would make it in time if it were just the two of them.
"Very well," he said, nodding at Hanji to prepare his stallion. He strapped his sword to his back, grateful that he had already been in armor to practice. A servant brought him a day's worth of rations, and he swung himself upright upon his saddle. "Hanji, alert King Erwin that I intend to return by late afternoon tomorrow."
He let Mikasa lead the way, and only nodded at her relieved thanks. They galloped steadily through the fields of the valley, along the river side, until they reached the mountains. They climbed until they reached the mouth of a cave, and Levi was shocked at the sight that awaited them.
All the myths he'd heard of the barbarous nature of titans was false. The interior of the cave was extravagant, lined with tapestries, rugs, and other fanciful items to decorate it. There was a cage pressed up against the wall, and within it lay a beautiful boy, dressed in a gown that made his emerald eyes pop with a wig of black hair, chained to a bed with a desperate gleam in his eyes.
Levi grabbed at Mikasa's arm when she lunged to run for him, yanking her powerful form back behind a curtain with some effort. He clamped a gloved hand over her mouth when she moved to protest, pointing to the colossal for of the titan that rested not twenty yards away.
He looked around the cave, searching for anything useful. A fire was burning near the center, in front of the dozing titan. Whispering carefully to the princess, he explained, "There. We can use the fire to set these tapestries aflame. But first, it would seem that the keys to that cage and shackles are with the monster, though, how anything that large could use them is beyond me. Either way, he's worthless swine." It was true. The keys, human sized, were in the lightly curled palm of the titan.
Mikasa drew her blade, and watched him expectantly, awaiting instructions. "You shall sneak up behind him and snatch the keys whilst I create a diversion. I will engage the titan long enough for you to free your brother. Then, we set fire to this place. These fabrics shall burn nicely. Agreed?"
"Yes," she said quietly. Peering around, Levi noted that the sun was setting, and it would not be long before nightfall. Silently, they made their way to their positions. Eren saw them, and gaped with wide eyes. Levi raised a finger to his lips to quiet him, and he caught his mouth.
The second the princess's hands grabbed the keys, the titan's eyes shot open, and he swiped at her. Gracefully, she danced away, and the titan snarled. Levi raised his sword and slashed at the covering of muscles and tendons, blood spurting from the new wound on his leg.
"You filthy humans. You would dare attempt to slay me in my sleep? Cowardly!"
Levi moved away from the large hand that slammed onto the ground in front of him. The titan's mobility was limited within the tall cave, and he couldn't quite stand up all the way despite the stretch of the cavern. By that point, Mikasa had opened the door to the cage, and was setting about freeing the prince from his shackles. Levi leapt at the titan, and brought his weapon down to cut through the arm as he ran up it, then jumped off to stab at the eye.
He was knocked aside, but rolled to regain his balance quickly, moving to attack once more. He continued to weave in and out of the titan's grasp, cutting, slicing, and pushing onwards.
Prince Levi watched Eren and Mikasa from the corner of his eye as they left the barred enclosure, and made for the exit. He stopped, however, when a figure barreled into them, knocking them both to the ground.
"You shall not leave! Bertholdt must eat to survive!"
A blonde man with broad shoulders towered over the siblings. He snatched they keys in his hand, and kicked at the princess. Mikasa rolled out of the way, and the man reached down for Eren. The boy threw him off, and his wig as well in the process.
The cavern was silent for a few precious moments, taking in the sight of the prince in the dress, his short brown hair teased around his face.
"You deceived me," growled the titan, whose name was presumably Bertholdt. "Reiner, ignore him, and capture the real girl."
Without another moment's hesitation, Mikasa and Reiner were locked in battle. He had drawn his sword, and the clangs of steel on steel echoed around the cave. Levi dodged another swipe from the titan, cutting the beast's hand as he ducked. Eren scrambled to find a weapon of some sort, and finally tore the skirt of his dress until it reached his knees in a jagged line. Taking the cloth, he lunged for Reiner, blindfolding him long enough for Mikasa to shove into the cage and lock the door.
Distracted for just a second by their small victory, Levi found himself roughly thrown against the stone wall of the cave, the impact knocking the breath from his lungs and sending him into a coughing fit. His blade clattered to the ground. Then he was being lifted into the air until he was eye to eye with the creature. He heard the princess call out to him, but could not respond for the crushing pressure of the fingers that gripped him.
Then, time itself seemed to slow its eager pace to a crawl. Blood erupted in front of him, and he saw the lids of the titan go slack. Mikasa landed softly in front of him, Eren to his side, wielding the sword he'd dropped. The hand that held him fell loosely to the ground, and Reiner began wailing from within the cage.
Prying the massive fingers off of him, Levi stood, panting. Prince Eren rose at his side, his sword dripping with the titan's blood.
"You made sufficient use of that," he commented. The other prince blushed and offered his sword to him. His lip curled in disgust at the sight of the mess, but he went about cleaning it without complaint.
"Brother, are you unhurt?" Mikasa grasped his shoulders, twisting him about as she inspected him from head to toe.
Brushing off her worried hands, he smiled nervously. "I am all right, Mikasa. Don't fret so much."
It was then that she slapped him across the cheek, and the force of the sound even caused Levi to pause. "How dare you," she hissed. "How dare you take it upon yourself to throw your life away for me without my consent!"
"Mikasa, I –"
"Foolish boy!" She pulled him into her embrace, tears welling up at the corners of her eyes. He ran a hand through her shortened locks, holding her to him as she took a calming breath.
He assured, "I'm alright, Mikasa." Eren looked up at Levi, taking him in for the first time. The older prince was taken slightly aback at the vibrancy of his gaze, the handsome curve of his face and neck. Even in a torn gown, dirt smudged on his brow, there was something stunning in his demeanor that Levi could not ignore.
The princess seemed to have calmed herself, and her shoulders squared fiercely. Approaching Reiner, she began a hostile interrogation. They learned that the man had known the titan since birth, had been a servant and friend to him. Bertholdt. Throughout the years, the giant had devoured hundreds upon hundreds of humans, but this fact did nothing to convince Reiner from his hysterics.
With a weary sigh, they gave up, and Reiner was released from the cage. He ran straight to the corpse of the once mighty Bertholdt, babbling about how the royals misunderstood, that he was really shy, timid, and delicate beneath his tough skin, that Reiner understood, and would remain by his side. Reiner was his friend.
With sadness in their eyes for the man, the three left him, Eren riding with Prince Levi, who owned the larger horse. The elder was surprised to find that he derived some pleasure at the contact of the brunet's hands at his waist as they made their way down to the river.
When they rested to let their horses drink and recover, introductions were at last made. Mikasa explained that after Eren had been kidnapped, she took off on her own to go rescue him. It was only after realizing that it would be impossible to save him on her own that she headed for the Trost Kingdom, where she knew of Prince Levi's reputable strength. Perhaps he would be willing to assist her, and he had.
Prince Eren's expression became one of bewilderment, and then gratitude. He bent at the waist, bowing to Levi. For some reason this flustered him. "Straighten yourself, already. We are of equal stature, are we not?"
The brunet laughed good-naturedly. "Yes, but were it not for you, I would be dead right now," he said, pointing up at the generously rounded moon above. The night glittered above them, lighting the path enough to travel by.
"I owe you my life as well," he countered.
"But you were the one to risk coming after me in the first place."
"Both of you," Mikasa cut in. "Hush now. Are you awake enough to press on?"
Eren nodded, though there were dark circles of exhaust under his eyes. The same went for Levi, and he slung himself back on his horse.
Along the journey back to the Shingashima Kingdom, the princes continued their banter, and both found themselves quite amused by the other's company. By the time they reached the outer gate of the castle, it was daybreak, and they were all weary beyond compare.
At the sight of his son, King Grisha broke into tears, hugging his child to him. He did the same to Mikasa, glad for the safety of his children. Turning to Levi, he offered his deepest thanks, asking the young man what he might desire as a reward.
Expressionless as he was known to be, the older Prince thought carefully for a moment, and then proclaimed his wish. The king appeared puzzled at first, but granted it regardless.
After taking time to rest, bathe, and eat, Prince Levi set off in the afternoon. The prince and princess waved their farewells to him, watching his silhouette vanish over the horizon. Soon, the tale had spread all through the land of the sacrifice of the Shingashima Prince, the daring rescue from his sister and Prince Levi, and the strange man that had lived with the titan. Gossip lit the fields like fire, posing questions about a possible marriage between Prince Levi and Princess Mikasa. This was all before even a week had passed.
There were several changes to be found. The cold drought lifted from King Grisha's kingdom at last, and the people prospered. Prince Eren, too, found an abundance of change in his routine. He would catch himself at odd times of the day wondering about Prince Levi, what he may have been doing. He thought of the grace with which he had moved in battle, the cunning he'd shown in the wit of his tongue. The muscles that he'd felt beneath the thick cloth of his tunic when riding behind him on the horse.
And then there was Levi's reward.
At least once a week, he was to pay a visit to the surly prince for the entire day. Why this was, he knew not, but he could find no grievances to complain of yet. Though sometimes rudely blunt, he enjoyed Levi's presence completely, and found himself making the hour-long trek to the Trost Kingdom more than just every Monday.
There were more whispers from the townsfolk about marriage, and whether Eren and Levi were planning such a thing for the brunet's sister. These rumors were paid no heed.
One day, roughly a month after his rescue, Prince Eren sat across from Prince Levi on an overstuffed couch. Both were dressed casually, enjoying a card game and light conversation. Suddenly, the elder stopped talking, and Eren caught a flash in his steel gray irises.
The man stood from his seat, and moved to take the spot next to Eren. He grasped the boy's hand, demanding eye contact. "You should know that I am happy that titan creature decided to capture you."
The younger prince huffed in reply. "Well, that's quite the statement, considering I could have very well been killed."
"But you weren't," he said, stroking the creases of his palm. "And I am fortunate to have made your acquaintance, Eren."
He felt a heat rise to his cheeks, and looked away. "L-likewise."
"Do you wish to know why I made the request that I did to your father?"
"I suppose I have been curious to an extent."
The prince said nothing, only leaned forward to press his lips to Eren's cheek, just shy of the corner of his mouth. The brunet did not even gasp, for so surprised was he that no sound could find its way out of his throat. He looked upon Levi's face, perplexed.
"You...aren't interested in my sister?"
Levi rolled his eyes. "Of course not. Do you not remember the old stories?" He laughed softly. "Where the prince saves the damsel and they go off to live together for the rest of their lives? Obviously, I don't put much stock in such tales, but I will admit that you held appeal, even in a woman's gown."
Eren flushed, thinking of that night. "But normally, the maiden is actually a maiden."
"You think I care at all for the norm?"
He shook his head, a small smile becoming him. So, it would seem that his prince wasn't all that charming, but having gotten to know him since the titan's death, Prince Eren could fully submit to the feelings that awoke when he was near the older prince. He'd long since dreamed of what it would be like to be with him, but restrained himself for fear of outright rejection.
Clearly, he was mistaken.
Prince Eren turned to face him, and took his other hand before leaning in to press mouth to mouth, lip to lip. A tranquil happiness washed over them as they sat together, gently touching and taking in the sensations. They stayed there for a great deal of time, stroking and kissing, the younger prince sometimes interrupting to giggle for his utter joy.
Prince Eren had come to love Prince Levi, and Levi in return loved Eren. This was the simple fact that they announced to their fathers two months later, at a glorious banquet King Grisha was hosting.
For a moment, there was quiet. The kings were stunned, taken aback as they stared at the intertwined hands of the princes. Erwin was the first to speak, only asking if they were certain. Grisha was less accepting, anger lighting his face as he lashed out at the young men. Prince Eren was hurt deeply by his father's disapproval, and upon seeing the stricken face of his son, in pain, the king remembered the overwhelming grief that had taken him the night he'd lost his son.
He saw Prince Levi wrap an arm around the brunet, whispering into his ear comfortingly and rubbing his arm. Seeing only tender affection between them, he released a heavy breath and nodded reluctantly.
Eren smiled, but the rejoicing was cut short by a slam on the table. All turned their attention to the princess, who was scowling at Levi.
"You've won my father's consent, but not mine yet, Prince Levi. Not completely."
Levi rose from his seat, keeping a strong hand on his lover's shoulder. Eren moved to intervene, but halted at the smirk playing across Levi's lips.
"And what do you propose my task should be to earn your approval?"
"Duel me. If you prove yourself stronger than I, and thus better able to protect him, I will relinquish him to you care."
"I accept."
The younger prince gave protest, claiming his ability to guard himself adequately, and that this was nonsense. Levi hushed him with a swift peck of the lips, and prepared himself to battle the world's strongest woman.
She wore the same armor she had donned during their rescue mission, a sharpened sword pointed at him in her hand. He lifted his own blade, and the match began.
Prince Eren watched from the sidelines, a mixture of annoyance and anticipation gracing his fine features. Mikasa danced in front of him, swinging her weapon and veering from nearly his every blow. However, the prince had not yet exhausted his full capacity, and at metal clinked and sparked against metal, her blows strong, he bided his time carefully.
After a solid few minutes of holding his ground, he finally launched his assault, his speed propelling him as he swerved left and right around the young woman, depleting her of her energy. He became nothing but a blur of motion as he spun around her, and within little time, she finally crumbled, falling to the ground with a grunt.
He did not gloat. He merely offered his hand as she lay there panting and bruised beneath him.
She grabbed it.
Legend speaks of the happiness the two kingdoms found in the union of not just their lands, but also of their beloved royals, who governed them well. No titan dared ever cross the border again, for fear of the combined strength of the new king and his sister-in-law. The land flourished, and the dual kings enjoyed their lives together immensely.
Of course, as time goes on, these stories bend to the ear that catches them. Some say that Prince Levi actually married the princess, or that Prince Eren actually had been a fair maiden. But, I know better, dear children. This tale of chivalry and love, bountiful in mirth and good nature... perhaps you will pass it on to your own children, as my parents did to me.
What? How do I know the truth of this story? That Prince Eren was a boy? Connie, darling, you really must pay attention. I told you earlier, before I began the story. Prince Levi's companion, Hanji, was my...um... ancestor. Yes, that's it.
What are you talking about, Sasha? I look nothing like her! I've got far too many wrinkles to be that gorgeous.
No, Christa! Of course she wasn't a witch! She was a SCIENTIST. They are entirely different.
Marco? Really? Fine. But this is the last story I'm telling you tonight. And only if you stop making gooey eyes at Jean.
Jean, shut up. We all know you love it.
...
Author's Notes: I really wanted to do something like this for Eren and Levi. I just started writing, and the next thing I knew, I had 4,000 words somehow. This pretty much wrote itself.
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Thanks,
Candy For Keyblades